Apparatus for recording case shift commands



May 21, 1968 F. SPIROCH ETAL APPARATUS FOR RECORDING CASE SHIFT COMMANDS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct.

ATTORNEY May 2 1968 F. SPlROCH ETAL APPARATUS FOR RECORDING CASE SHIFT COMMANDS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct.

INVENTOR5 BY 3, z 7

ATTORNEY 21, 1968 F. SPIROCH ETAL 3,384,299

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING CASE SHIFT COMMANDS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 000. 1.7. 1966 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,384,299 APPARATUS FOR RECORDING CASE SHIFT COMMANDS Franz Spiroch, Eicliborn, and Dieter Krause, Offenbach (Main), Germany, assignors to Eichner ()rganisation GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed Oct. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 587,120 Claims priority, applicatiofrl Germany, Oct. 23, 1965,

3 ,355 10 Claims. (Cl. 234-23) The present invention relates to an apparatus for recording case shift commands, and more particularly to an apparatus for punching into a program tape or program card, coded perforations by which the shifting of the type bar support of a typewriter is controlled.

The shifting of the type bar support or segment between upper case position and lower case position in accordance with coded perforations representing shift and no shift causes certain difficulties if the shifting of the type bar support is controlled by a single key.

In accordance with the prior art, the movement of the linkage connecting the shift key with the type bar support, or the movement of the type bar support is used for providing an impulse by which the punching device is controlled. The constructions according to the prior art have the disadvantage that frequently impulses commanding a perforation are produced, although the type bar support has not been moved to its end position, or when no additional key actuation has taken place.

It is one object of the invention to overcome this disadvantage of known apparatus controlling the recording of commands regarding the shifting of the type lever support, and to provide reliably operating, compact and simple apparatus serving this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to effect recordings representing the two positions of the type bar support, only if the type bar support of the controlling typewriter mechanism has actually arrived in the respective end position.

With these objects in view, the present invention is concerned with apparatus for recording, preferably punching, recordings in the form of coded perforations, which are associated with the shifting of the type bar support of a typewriter between upper and lower case positions. The typewriter mechanism controls the punching device to perforate a card, or a tape which is later used for controlling another typewriter.

In accordance with the invention, the command impulses for punching the respective recordings representing the two positions of the type bar support, are derived directly from the end positions of the type bar support of the controlling typewriter mechanism.

The apparatus of the present invention is used in combination with a typewriter mechanism, and with a recording device, preferably a punching device, operated by the typewriter mechanism. One embodiment of the invention comprises a type bar support, such as a type bar segment movable between first and second end positions, and first and second sensing means, preferably including switches, positioned for sensing, respectively, the type bar support in the first and second end positions.

The recording device includes recording means connected with and actuated by the first and second sensing means to record on the record carrier, more specifically to punch into a tape, recordings by which the shifting of a type bar support of another typewriter is to be controlled. Consequently, a recording is only made if the type bar support of the controlling typewriter mechanism actually assumes one of the end positions, and errors are avoided.

In the preferred embodiment, the first and second sensing means include switches which are actuated by the type ice bar support in the respective end positions, and control electric circuits which, upon the closing of the respective switch, produce command impulses having a predetermined length sufiicient for controlling the punches by which the coded perforations representing shift or no shift are made in the program tape. Even if the type bar support assumes the respective end position only momentarily, the command signal produced by the circuit has a suificient length to assure the proper operation of the respective punch.

Preferably, an electromagnet is energized by the same command impulse to hold the type bar support in the respective end position during the punching of the respective coded perforations, so that the shift key may be early released by the operator of the controlling typewriter mechanism. The time during which the elect-romagnet holds the type bar support in one end position, is preferably sufiicient to permit actuation of another key in addition to the shift key, and a corresponding perforation of the program tape.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the general arrangement of an apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating parts of the controlling typewriter mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating circuits according to the invention for transforming a short impulse produced by the type bar support into a command signal of predetermined length; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, partially in section, illustrating a punching device and including a diagram illustrating an electric circuit.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a type lever support or segment 1 is urged by a spring 1a to an upper normal position associated with lower case characters, and can be moved to a lower end position by operation of the key 5 whose key lever 6 is connected by a link 6a to the type bar support 1. Type ba-r support 1 carries a series of type bars 4 arranged in a semi-circle, only one type bar being shown for the sake of simplicity.

Type bar support 1 carries an actuating member 2 cooperating with sensing rollers 24: connected by stems to a pair of switches 3 and 8. Switches 3 and 8 are snap-over switches having two positions, and are spring biased to move into one end position.

In the normal lower case portion of type bar support I assumed under the action of spring 1a, switch 3 closes a circuit, and switch 8 interrupts a circuit. When by operation of key 5, type bar support 1 is moved downward to the lower upper case position, actuating member is displaced, permitting switch 3 to move to the circuit breaking position, and urging spring 8 to move to the circuit closing position against the action of switch springs, not shown. Arrow 7 in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates the direction of downward movement of the type bar support 1 with actuating member 2 to the lower end position.

The circuits controlled by switches 3 and 8 include impulse converters 9 and 10 which are illustrated in detail in FIG. 3. The positive terminal of a voltage source is connected to capacitors .and in devices 10 and 9, to diodes 27 and 37, and to resistors 24 and 34. The negative terminal is connected to resistors 21 and 31, 28 and 38, and 26 and 36. The negative terminal is also connected to an electromagnet 15 which operates the shift key 5, 6,

as best seen in FIG. 2. The negative terminal is also connected to a relay 13 controlling relay contacts 14 and 17, the latter being connected in series with a switch 16 operated at the end of a punching operation by the punching device. Resistor 21 is connected by switch 8 with an adjustable resistor 22 which is connected by resistor 23 to resistor 24 and to the base of a transistor 25, the transistor being also connected with the diode 27 and a resistor 26 which forms a bypass for the current when the perforator is switched otf. Transistor 25 is also connected by a diode to a point between relay 13 and its contact 17.

Resistor 31 is connected by switch 3 to an adjustable resistor 32 which is connected with a resistor 33 connected with resistor 34 and with the base of a transistor 35 which is also connected to resistor 36 and to diode 37. Lines 11 and 12 respectively connect transistors 35 and 25 with the punching device which includes two punching means respectively operated by command signals supplied through lines 11 or 12, one of the punching devices being illustrated in FIG. 4.

The punching device includes an electromagnet 51 operating an armature 52 which is biased by a spring 53 and connected to an angular lever 54 by which a punch 56 is operated to punch a hole into a tape 57 which is transported through a slot in a punching device 58. A plurality of devices as shown in FIG. 4 is provided for producing a coded arrangement of perforations representing one or the other end position of the type bar support 1. The command signals transmitted through lines 11 or 12 are amplified by an amplifier 60 before being supplied to the electromagnet 51 which controls the punches.

Assuming that the apparatus is in the normal position of rest in which spring 1a holds the type bar support 1 in the upper positions shown in FIG. 2, switches 3 and 8 are in the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this position, capacitor 20 is charged through resistor 21 with which it is connected by switch 8. Switch 3 has interrupted the circuit between capacitor 30 and the voltage source.

If shift key 5, 6 is depressed, and the type bar support 1 is moved to the lower end position 6' shown in FIG. 1, actuating member 2 shifts both switches 3 and 8. Switch 8 connects capacitor 20 with adjustable resistor 22 and closes a circuit through resistor 23, transistor 25, and line 12 so that an impulse having a predetermined duration is supplied to the series of punches 51 connected with line 12, and a coded arrangement of perforations is punched into the program tape 57 to represent the actuation of shift key 5, 6, and the shifting of the type bar support to the lower upper case position.

The command signal passing through line 12 has a duration determined by the capacity of capacitor 20 and by the resistance of resistors 22, 23 so that the time period during which the command signal is effective can be predetermined and selected by adjustment of resistor 22.

When switch 8 is shifted, as explained above, an electric impulse passes also through relay 13 so that contacts 17 and 14 closes. Contact 14 energizes magnet which at tracts its armature 15a to hold shift key 5, 6 in the lower position into which it was manually depressed. Shift key 5, 6 and type bar support 1 remain in the lower position as long as holding electromagnet 15 is energized, that is for the time of duration of the command signal caused by the discharge of capacitor 20.

Since switch 16 of the punching device is connected to the positive terminal of the voltage source, relay 13 remains energized through the closed holding contact 17 until the punching operation has been completed, and switch 16 is opened by a movable element, not shown, operated by angular lever 54 illustrated in FIG. 4. When switch 16 opens and de-energizes relay 13, relay contact 14 opens and electromagnet 15 is de-energized so that spring 11: returns type bar support 1 to its upper normal position together with shift key 5, 6.

Referring now to the function of impulse converter 9, when switch 3 is shifted, as explained above, capacitor is charged through resistor 31 while type bar support 1 is held in the lower end position by electromagnet 15. When electromagnet 15 is de-energized and type bar support 1 returns to the upper position, switches 3 and 8 are shifted to the position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. While capacitor 20 is charged, as explained above, switch 3 connects capacitor 30 with adjustable resistor 32, resistor 33, and the base of the transistor so that the capacitor 30 discharges and produces a command signal in line 11 of a duration determined by the capacity of capacitor 30, and by the adjusted resistance of resistor 32. The command signal is supplied through line 11 to a punching device as shown in FIG. 4 after having been amplified in an amplifier so that a coded arrangement of perforations is punched by the punches 56 for representing on the program tape 57 a no shift command. If this command is read out, the type bar support of a controlled typewriter will assume the normal position for lower case characters.

Diodes 27, 37, and resistors 28, 38 serve the purpose of compensating for temperature changes, and resistors 26 and 36 are passed by currents when the punching device is disconnected.

Due to the fact that electromagnet 15 holds the type bar support 1 in the lower end position against the action of spring 1a, until the punching operation has been completed, an accurate and perfect punching of the program tape is assured.

From the above description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that the punching device shown in FIG. 4 is a recording means for making recordings in the form of punched holes in a record carrier tape 57, that switch 3 and impulse converter 9 are a first sensing means, and that switch 8 and impulse converter 10 are a second sensing means for controlling the recording means of the apparatus when sensing the end positions of the type bar support 1.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of apparatus for recording case shift commands by which a typewriter is controlled, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for punching into a program tape coded perforations representing the upper case position and the lower case position of the type bar support of a typewriter, and including sensing means for sensing these positions, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a typewriter mechanism, and with a recording device operated by said mechanism; apparatus for recording case shift commands, comprising a type bar support; means mounting said type bar support for movement between first and second end positions; and first and second sensing means positioned for sensing, respectively, said type bar support in said first and second end positions; said recording device including recording means connected with and actuated by said first and second sensing means to record on said record carrier recordings by which the shifting of a type bar support is to be controlled so that a recording is only made if said first mentioned type bar support actually assumes one of said end positions.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said recording device is a punching device and includes first and second punches controlled by said first and second sensing means to punch coded perforations representing upper and lower case positions of the type bar support.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second sensing means include first and second switches operated by said type bar support in said end positions, respectively, and first and second circuit means connecting said first and second switches with said recording means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said recording device is a punching device and includes first and second punches controlled by said first and second sensing means to punch coded perforations representing upper and lower case positions of the type bar support; and wherein said first and second sensing means include first and second switches operated by said type bar support in said end positions, respectively, and first and second circuit means connecting said first and second switches with said first and second punches.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second sensing means include first and second switches operated by said type bar support in said end positions, respectively, and first and second circuit means connecting said first and second switches with said recording means, said first and second circuit means each including means for producing a command impulse having a predetermined length when receiving from said first and second switches, respectively, impulses of an indeterminate length, said command impulses operating said recording means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second sensing means include first and second switches operated by said type bar support in said end positions, respectively, and first and second circuit mean connecting said first and second switches with said recording means, said first and second circuit means each including means for producing a command impulse having a predetermined length when receiving from said first and second switches, respectively, impulses of an indeterminate length, said command impulses operating said recording means, at least one of said circuit means including means for holding said type bar support in the respective end position for the duration of said command signal and during the operation of said recording means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said holding means includes a holding electromagnet having a movable member connected with said type bar support, and being energized by said command signal.

8. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said switches are snap switches, each having two connecting positions and biased for assuming one connecting position when moved out of the other connecting position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second sensing means respectively include first and second switches operated by said type bar support in said positions, respectively, and first and second impulse converters, said impulse converters including first and second capacitors charged and discharged under the control of said first and second switches and producing during discharge command signals having a predetermined duration independent of the time period during which said first and second switches are operated; wherein said recording device is a punching device and includes first and second punches, and first and second electromagnets for operating said first and second punches and respectively connected with said capacitors to receive command impulses from the same.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 and including electromagnetic holding means for holding said type bar support in one end position, and being connected with one of said converters to receive a command impulse from the same so that said type bar support is held in the respective end position during the duration of said command impulse and during the operation of the respective punches.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,377,801 6/1945 Mills et al 197-1 3,014,644 12/1961 Clay 23423 3,106,337 10/1963 Bernard 234-23 3,112,821 12/1963 Hess 23423 X WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TYPEWRITER MECHANISM, AND WITH A RECORDING DEVICE OPERATED BY SAID MECHANISM; APPARATUS FOR RECORDING CASE SHIFT COMMANDS, COMPRISING A TYPE BAR SUPPORT; MEANS MOUNTING SAID TYPE BAR SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND END POSITIONS; AND FIRST AND SECOND SENSING MEANS POSITIONED FOR SENSING, RESPECTIVELY, SAID TYPE BAR SUPPORT IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND END POSITIONS; SAID RECORDING DEVICE INCLUDING RECORDING MEANS CONNECTED WITH AND ACTUATED BY SAID FIRST AND SECOND SENSING MEANS TO RECORD ON SAID RECORD CARRIER RECORDINGS BY WHICH THE SHIFTING OF A TYPE BAR SUPPORT IS TO BE CONTROLLED SO THAT A RECORDING IS ONLY MADE IF SAID FIRST MENTIONED TYPE BAR SUPPORT ACTUALLY ASSUMES ONE OF SAID END POSITIONS. 